Thursday, May 31, 2012

Economics may be one of the most compelling reasons to buy local food. Not only are you literally putting your money where your mouth is when you purchase zucchini from a local farmer instead of from a store that has to have vegetables shipped in from across the country, but you're also putting money back into your local economy, supporting a small business, and protecting the environment around you. (Surely we've mentioned our own small business we're opening this week?)

Once you start looking into the economics of food – factoring in harvesting and labor costs, packaging and shipping costs, and grocery store prices versus farmers' market prices – it's hard to see how small farmers are able to make a living growing and raising healthy, often organic or all-natural, vegetables, herbs, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Bigger businesses and their buying power make it hard to compete on price alone. But if you're willing to pay a bit more for your strawberries and peaches, those extra cents ignite a reaction along the economic food chain that help a local farmer pay his bills, buy seeds and supplies for the next season, and nourish your local economy in a more meaningful way.

The fact that local farmers are essentially small businesses also means there can be greater quality control and care in how your angus beef is raised or sweet potatoes are grown. If you're the type of person who patronizes your local hardware store rather than a big box store or even if you just prefer the flavors of an independent restaurant to chain dining, then you already know the satisfaction and personal touch that comes from supporting local and small businesses. You can get the same benefit from buying local food, with greater access to the people who fertilized your carrots, so you can ask questions and get to know who they are and how they operate their business. Supporting small business with your food dollars benefits your health as well as your local economy.

Because local food doesn't have to travel thousands of miles, it not only carries a smaller carbon footprint, making it better for the environment, but it also can be picked closer to peak freshness, making it better for you. The local farmers I've talked to are the growers, harvesters, delivery men, and sales women for their farms. When you pay for that tub of Alabama goat cheese, you're paying for all that work in addition to paying for the environmental benefit, which, when you follow that economic chain, protects your local economy by caring for its future.

The way you choose to spend your money can be one of the most powerful statements about what you care about. Choosing to buy local means you care for the economic health of your community. Even when times are hard, you want your hometown to thrive, so stimulate your economy and buy local!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Food’s important role in EU rural development is highlighted by the European Commission in its policy emphasis on promotion of farm products. Proposals to update this policy were put forward in 2011, which draw attention to the fact that the, “EU has a culinary heritage of great diversity that should be exploited to the full.”

Partnership approaches for strengthening local food markets have been shown to be effective as rural development tools. Outcomes from such local food projects can help to underpin core elements of the rural economy in sustainable ways. For example, by working together, businesses participating in local food projects can find new ways of selling more of their products and attracting new types of customers. Stronger connections can be established between local agricultural, tourism and food supply sectors.

In addition, consumption of local food products in rural areas leads to reduced food transport. This can create economic, environmental and social benefits such as transport cost savings, fewer emissions, less wear and tear on rural roads, reduced traffic congestion and associated improved road safety.

A variety of development benefits can also be gained for rural businesses from ‘short-supply chains’. For instance, reducing the number of businesses involved in a supply chain between the producer of a raw material and the final customer can increase the share of the final price received by those involved. Fewer links can also provide cost savings for customers and makes it easier for everyone to know where the raw materials come from. Direct sales (from original producer to final customer) are the shortest supply chains.

Financial measures in the EAFRD’s support toolkit contain options for facilitating short-supply chains. These are relevant for the agri-food sector and can also apply to other rural businesses.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The CAP reform proposals for post 2013 adopted by the Commission on 12 October 2011 envisage a number of new possibilities for the economic development of small-scale farming with a local market orientation. In addition, other CAP policies and EU legislation on food hygiene are important for growth on such holdings. The focus of the conference was on the use of policy instruments, facilitating access to markets as well as reinforcing links between farmers and consumers, and improving the implementation of relevant hygiene legislation applying to short food supply chains.

In particular, the following issues have been addressed:

•the implementation of adequate CAP support;•opportunities in local food systems, short marketing chains (including direct sales) by increasing consumer awareness of local farm products;•the need to better use the existing provisions of relevant EU legislation adapted to small-scale food operators and direct sales; cooperation of farmers/small food business operators with competent authorities responsible for hygiene.

Some extraits of the speech of M. Dacian Ciolos, Member of the European Commission, Responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development:

The fact is that the demand is there, but it is not structured well enough, it has not been sufficiently well identified, and it is not accessible enough. There is a lack of research, which is something that will probably come up repeatedly in the discussions. Nonetheless, all the available studies concur that there is high consumer demand for local products. This was highlighted once again by surveys conducted in the UK and Germany as recently as last year.

According to a Eurobarometer survey, one in two consumers regret that local products are hard to find and difficult to distinguish from other products. Yet, there is a structural failure to meet these concerns and certain political and business circles harbour deep-rooted prejudices against this type of marketing.

Short supply chains have too long been overlooked. Yet, available data show that already, despite the lack of recognition and support, 15% of EU farms sell more than half of their produce locally.

I have to say, since I took office as Commissioner, I have often been asked: ‘Why do you talk about short supply chains? You promote small and uncompetitive farms that cater to the richest consumers’. I am sure that this conference will enable us to demonstrate the opposite, to break down these prejudices, to create a new approach to short supply chains and to find effective solutions to end the contradictions that I have just highlighted.

At least, this is what I hope, because I am convinced that ‘local food supply services’ have tremendous potential.

They present a modern view of our relationship to food as well as a certain vision of the economic competitiveness of farming and its social and environmental efficiency.

Not only do they eliminate the need for long-haul transport, they also boost local economies and empower consumers to play an active part in the economic development of their local area.